Variable standing time control



May 20, 1958 v R. A. BURGY 2,835,346

VARIABLE STANDING TIME CONTROL.

Filed Aug. 30, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 f AMP luvwzzvrox RA YMg /VD' A.5096 Y United States Patent Ofifice 2,835,346 Patented May 20, 1958VARIABLE STANDING TllVlE CONTROL Raymond A. Burgy, Maumec, Ohio,assignor to Toledo Scale Corporation, Washington Township, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Application August 30, 1956, Serial No. 607,129

17 Claims. (Cl. 187-29) This invention relates to elevator controls andin particular to control means for completely automatic elevatorsarranged to vary the standing time at a floor in accordance with thepassenger demand.

When push-button controlled automatic elevators are operated without theservices of an attendant the controls must be adjusted so that theelevator stands at a floor for a certain length of time before closingthe doors and proceeding to the next floor. If an operator is inattendance the minimum time can be made materially shorter since theoperator can manually lengthen the time interrupting the door closingoperation as may be required to permit the entrance or exit ofpassengers. For satisfactory operation without an attendant the doorsmust be held open for a time interval generally equal to the maximumtime required for prospective passengers to move to the elevatorentrance and enter the car. If a number of cars are arranged in a bankso that the end cars are quite widely separated this time intervalrequired for a prospective passenger to reach the car answering his callmay be quite long. Situations may also occur where the intendingpassenger may be standing directly in front of the car that answers hiscall in which case he may promptly enter the car and then have to waitfor the remainder of the time interval before the car will start. Thiswaiting time is quite annoying and therefore objectionable.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a control that isresponsive to the type of call being answered and to the entrance orexit of a passenger and which is effective to shorten the standing timeat a floor to a minimum. time interval after the last passenger hasentered or left the car.

Another object of the invention is to provide a control in which a timeinterval that a car is held at a.

fioor is pre-set according to the various times required for differenttypes of calls and control means are efiective upon the entrance or exitof a passenger into the car to cancel a portion of the preset timeinterval.

Another object of the invention is to provide means to establishdiiferent standing times depending upon Whether the stop is made inresponse to a car call or a hall call.

More specific objects and advantages are apparent from the followingdescription of the invention.

According to the invention the time at which the doors of a car recloseafter a stop is made at a floor is controlled jointly by two timergroups operating in sequence, to establish various waiting times. Thefirst of these timers comprising the first group to operate is set totime an interval of five to ten seconds and it is permitted to start itstiming interval as soon as the doors reach full open position as a carstops at a fioor. The second group of timers is energized or started onits timing interval as soon as the first timer times out and the doorwayis clear. The first timer is allowed to run until either a passengerenters or leaves the car thereby interrupting the light beam of the doorprotective system or until its time interval has expired. Upon theoccurrence of either of these events one or more of the second group oftimers, flux decay time relays, are deenergized to start their timingintervals, that is, intervals of approximately nine tenths to twoseconds depending upon the type of call before closing the doors andstarting the car. The control circuits of the invention provide variousminimum waiting times according to the type of call by arranging theminimum timing intervals to be selected according to whether the carstops in response to a landing or hall call or in response to a carcall. If the car stops in response to a landing call or is loaded whenstopping for a. car call a longer time interval is provided than is thecase when a lightly loaded car stops for a car call. When stopping for acar call the passenger in the car knows that the car is stopping for hisfloor and is alerted and ready to immediately leave the car. However,the intending passenger on the floor awaiting an elevator does not knowprecisely when the car is going to arrive in response to the call orwhich car will answer his call. Therefore there is often a delay whilean intending passenger approaches the car.

A preperred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a view of two spaced apart elevators such as the endelevators of a bank of elevators showing the location of thephotoelectric equipment.

Figure H is a schematic wiring diagram of one of the photoelectricsystems for detecting obstructions in the doorway of an elevator.

Figure ill is a schematic wiring diagram of the controls and timers thatdetermine the various standing time intervals of one of the elevatorcars.

Figure IV is a wiring diagram showing an alternative method of arrangingthe combination of contacts of the relays for obtaining the same overallresults as the circuit shown in Figure Ill.

Figure V is a fragmentary schematic diagram illustrating still anotherway of arranging the contacts of the relay in order to obtainthe sameresponse from the circuit.

These specific figures and the accompanying description are intendedmerely to illustrate the invention and not to limit its scope.

In the accompanying drawings Figure I illustrates the condition thatoften occurs when two or more elevators any of which may answer a callare separated .by a considerable distance. As indicated in this figurean elevator car 1 may be the left-hand car of a bank while an elevatorcar 2 may be at the right end of the bank. There may be a number of carsbetween these two. According to usual pactice each of the cars is guidedby hatchway rails 3 running vertically along the sides or the hatchwayand engaging guide shoes 4 attached to each of the elevator cars. Eachcar is supported by cables 5 running up the hatchway to drive equipment,not shown.

Each of the cars is also equipped with a door operating mechanism 6 thatincludes a pivoted lever 7 connected through a link 8 to a first door 9and through a second link 10 to a second door 11. Since the distancefrom the fulcrum of the lever 7 to the links 8 and 10 is different thetravel of the doors 9 and 11 is also different. This allows the doors tooverlap each other in open position and close in slightly overlappingposition to close the entire door opening of the elevator car. The doorcontrol mechanism for each of the cars also includes a light source 12that projects a beam of light, indicated by a dotted line 13, to amirror 14 on the opposite side of the doorway of the car the light beingreflected from the mirror 14 to a photoelectric cell 15 mounted on theframe of the car. The photoelectric cell is connected 3 into the controlsystem of the elevator so that the doors cannot be closed unless thelight beam 13 is uninterrupted. Thus if any passenger or otherobstruction is in the doorway of the elevator the doors will not attemptto close.

Figure 11 illustrates in a simple form the wiring for each of thephotoelectric cells including its relay. Thus in this figure thephotoelectric cell 15 is shown connected by leads 16 to an amplifier 17that steps up the power of the signals sufficiently to operate a relay18 connected to the amplifier through leads 19. The amplifier 17receives power from a power line through leads 2t) and also, throughleads 21, furnishes power to the light source 12 also shown on eachelevator car in Figure I. The relay 1%, controlled by the photoelectriccell, may have one or more sets of contracts 22 depending upon thenumber of circuits that must be operated according to the condition ofthe relay.

Referring now to Figure III the master photocell relay PC shown near theupper portion-of the figure is energized from supply lines 23 and 24 byway of a circuit that includes a normally closed door-open button 25 inthe elevator car, a lead 26, a safety switch 27 operated by the edge ofthe elevator car door, a lead 28, contacts 22 of the photocell relay 18,a rectifier 29 and an operating coil 30 of the master photocell relayPC. The rectifier 29 is included since alternating current power issupplied to the leads 23 and 24 and a much more sensitive master controlrelay may be used if energized by direct current. The direct currentalso reduces the power handling capacity required of the variousswitches in the circuit. In order to eliminate chattering or noise ofthe master photocell relay PC a condenser 31 is connected in parallelwith its operating coil 30. This master photocell relay PC is energizedas long as the light beam across the door of the car is uninterrupted,i. e. no one is in the doorway. The relay may also be deenergized shouldsomeone push on the edge of the door so as to open the contacts 27 orshould someone push the door open button 25. Therefore contacts 32, 33and 34 of the master photocell relay PC are in their operated position,the reverse of that shown, as long as conditions are correct for the carto be started and operated.

As the elevator car closely approaches a floor in response to car signalor a landing signal requiring a stop at that floor, the door relay,operating to open the doors, closes its contacts DO shown in Figure IIIso as to momentarily complete a circuit from the'supply lines 23 throughan operating coil 36 of an auxiliary timing relay TRLA, through lead 38,the now closed door relay contacts DO, and contacts BK of the brakerelay of the elevator system to the return lead 24. As is usual incircuits of this type the contacts BK of the brake relay are arranged sothat the contacts are closed as long as the brake is released and thecar is under the control of the elevator drive motor. As soon as a carhas stopped and leveled at a floor the brake relay releases thus openingthe contacts BK. Thus the operating coil 36 of the auxiliary timer relayTRLA is momentarily energized as the doors are opening as the car stopsat the floor. Once it is stopped the operating coil 36 of the relay canno longer be energized through this circuit.

The auxiliary timing relay TRLA when energized closes its contacts 40 soas to complete a holding circuit through a lead 41, the now closedcontacts 40, a lead 42, normally closed contacts 43 of a synchronousmotor driven timer TRL, and then through lead 45, contacts 32 of themaster photocell relay PC, and lead 46 to the return supply lead 24.This circuit seals the auxiliary timing relay TRLA in operatedcondition. As soon as the auxiliary timing relay TRLA was energized italso closed its contacts 47 to complete a circuit from the supply lead23 through the drive motor of the timer TRL, the now closed contacts 47and a lead 48 leading to the return line 24.

Energization of the auxiliary timing relay TRLA also caused it to closeits contacts 49 to complete a circuit from a D. C. power lead 50 throughan operating coil 51 of a first starting time relay TR and thencethrough a lead 52, normally closed contacts 53 of a main floor relay MG,the now closed contacts 49 and lead 54 to a return direct current lead55. Energization of the first starting time relay TR opens its contacts56 so as to disable the car starting circuit indicated merely as leadsconnected through the contacts 56.

The starting time relay TR may also be energized through a lead 57 andany of several sets of contacts AM, EM, D0, or the contacts 34 of themaster photocell relay PC, these contacts all being connected inparallel, and thence through the lead 54 to the return DC lead 55. Theseparallel contacts serve as safety controls so that the car startingcircuit cannot be completed as long as (a) the doors are opening whichis indicated by the closure of the contacts D0 or (b) the emergency stoprelay is released thereby closing contacts EM or (c) the elevator isrunning as is indicated by the closure of contacts AM of an advancemotor relay not shown in the drawing. Likewise should the masterphotocell PC be deenergized as by interrupting the light beam across theelevator doors or by operation of door opening button 25 or the safeedge door contacts 27 the car starting circuit cannot be completed.

it should also be noticed that the master photocell relay PC includescontacts 33 that are included in the circuit for a safety circuit. Forsafety reasons this circuit is arranged such that it must be completebefore the car can be started. Once started other contacts in parallelwith the contacts 33 close so that the opening of the contacts 33 willnot interrupt such circuit and stop the car.

In the operation of this circuit as a car approaches an intermediatefloor for a stop (main floor relay MG not energized) the auxiliarytiming relay TRLA is energized through the brake relay contacts BK anddoor opener relay contacts DO. This relay TRLA, by closing its contacts47, starts the long interval timer TRL and, by closing its contacts 49,energizes the starting time relay TR. As long as the relay TR isenergized the car starting circuits are disabled. This particular relayis of the flux decay variety and requires approximately .9 of a secondof time after its coil circuit is opened before its armature releases toclose the contacts 56. Therefore all circuits must be in readiness forstarting the car for at least .9 of a second before the car startingcircuit itself is completed.

As long as no enters or leaves the elevator car, as for example if itstops for a false call, the motor driven timer TRL times out at the endof approximately five or ten seconds of time and opens its contacts 43.The opening of these contacts breaks the holding circuit for theauxiliary timing relay TRLA so that it thereupon is deenergized andopens its contacts 49. If the other circuits for starting the car are inreadiness to start the opening of the contacts 4-9 deenergizes thestarting time relay TR and .9 of a second later the car starting circuitis completed by closure of the contacts 56. This cycle of eventsdetermines the time that a car will wait at a floor before clos ing itsdoors and starting toward the next call. When the car has stopped at afloor and a passenger either leaves or enters a car the photocell relaycontacts 22 shown in the top line of Figure iii are open as long as thepassenger interrupts the light beam across the elevator car door.Interruption of this circuit deenergizes the master photocell PC so thatit opens its contacts 32 thereby breaking the holding circuit for theauxiliary timer relay TRLA. This relay, without any time delay,immediately drops out thereby opening its contacts 49 thus permittingthe car to start approximately .9 of a second after the light beamacross the car door has been re-established so as to reenergize themaster photocell PC and open the contacts 34.

Therefore in this circuit, as shown, the car doors remain open forapproximately 6 to 11 seconds, i. e., .9 of a second longer than thetiming interval of the motor driven timer TRL, in the event that no oneenters or leaves the car. fore the expiration of this time interval theauxiliary timer relay TRLA is released so as to take the motor driventimer out of the control circuit and permit the car to startapproximately .9 of a second after starting conditions are restored.Should more than one passenger be entering or leaving the car the lightbeam is momentarily interrupted as each pasenger passes through the cardoor and as each one passes the master photocell relay PC is deenergizedthereby rc-establishing momentarily, through contacts 34, the circuit tothe coil 51 of the first starting time relay TR. Each pulse of currentthus supplied to this relay reenergizes its magnetic circuit so that therelay will not drop out until the light beam remains unbroken for atleast .9 of a second. The circuit is also safe in that should a personhold the edge of the door, as when one passenger holds the car to waitfor another, the contacts 27 being held open deenergize the masterphotocell relay PC so that it remains deenergized thus closing itscontacts 34 to keep the starting time relay TR continuously energized.Therefore the car will not start as long as the doors are opening, thepassenger is holding the edge of the door, or a passenger is standing orwalking through the doorway to interrupt the light beam.

For best results it is desirable that after a passenger has entered orleft the car that the minimum standing time be adjusted or controlledaccording to whether the expected following passenger is entering thecar from the landing or is leaving the car. This distinction isnecessary because passengers tend to follow each other closely as theyleave a car but to be more widely separated as they enter from alanding. It is therefore desirable that the minimum standing time asdetermined by the timing relay TR after the entrance or exit of apassenger be adjusted or controlled according to whether the expectedpassenger is entering or leaving. If the car stops in response to aregistered car call it may be assumed that the passenger or passengerswill be leaving the car. Therefore, the minimum or very short timeinterval is required after the photocell light beam is re-establishedeach time before the starting circuits may start the car. Should the carstop be in response to a landing'call then it may be assumed that thepassengers will be entering the car and it is therefore desirable thatthe minimum standing time be increased from a very short time such as .9of a second described above to an interval of approximately one andthree tenths seconds to one and one half seconds. Thus the doors willnot start to close so as to trap an approaching passenger as long asthat passenger follows the preced ing intending passenger within aninterval of one and one half seconds.

It is also desirable to allow a slightly longer waiting time when thecar stops in response to a car call and the car is more than half loadedso that departing passengers may have difliculty, due to the crowdedconditions in the car, in reaching the doorway within the limited timeavailable.

Still another condition occurs at the main floor when it is desirable toprovide a still longer time interval to permit departing passengers toleave the space in front of the car and allow others to enter the carbefore starting to close the doors. in this case it has been found thata two second interval after the last passenger has left the car shouldbe allowed before the doors start to close. However, once a passengerhas entered the car after the previous load of passengers have left thetime interval for succeeding passengers may be reduced to the sameinterval as is employed at the intermediate landings.

Should a person enter or leave a car be- Timing relay circuits forproviding the above described time intervals are illustrated in FigureIII. In this circuit three timing relays are employed in addition to thelong interval timer TRL. These comprise the previously described minimumtiming relay TR set for approximately .9 second, a second timing relayTR1 adjusted ordinarily for from 1.3 to 1.5 seconds and a third timingrelay TR2 normally adjusted for a 2 second interval. The timing relayTRl is arranged to be energized whenever the car stops for a landingcall or whenever a car stops for any call if the car was loaded to morethan half capacity when it left the last preceding stop. The thirdtiming relay TR2 is employed only at the main floor and is arranged totime the interval that the doors wait for incoming passengers after thelast departing passenger has cleared the door.

in the arrangement of Figure III a landing call relay LC is energizedfrom the lead 50 through a lead 60, operating coil 61 of the landingcall relay LC, lead 62, contacts S of the landing call stopping relay, alead 63, and finally normally closed contacts AM of the advance motorrelay and then to the return lead 55. When the car stops in response toa landing call and the contacts S close the landing call relay LC sealsitself in through a circuit comprising its contacts 64 and lead 65connected to the lead 63 between the stopping relay contacts S and theadvance motor relay contacts AM. Thus this relay is held in when a carstops in response to a landing call until a car starts again afterresponding to that call. The landing call relay also closes it contacts66 so as to energize an operating coil 67 of the second timing relay TR1through a circuit that may be traced from the lead 50, the lead 68, theoperating coil 67, contacts 66, and a lead 69 and thence through eitherthe contacts 49 of the auxiliary timing relay TRLA, the contacts 34 ofthe photocell relay, or the door opening contacts DO and thence to lead54 connected to the return lead 55.

The second timing relay TR1 may also be energized if the car stops atthe main floor when the main floor relay MG is also energized so as toclose its contacts 70 to provide a by-pass circuit around the contacts66. Therefore, whenever the car stops for a landing call such that thecontacts 66 are closed the timing relay TR1 is energized so as to openits contacts 71 in the car starting circuit and thus force a startingdelay according to the time interval measured by the second timing relayTR1.

This same timing relay TR1 is brought into operation whenever the carstops in response to a car call and is carrying over a 60 percentcapacity load. This is accomplished by means of a landing call auxiliaryrelay LCA that is energized from the lead 50, a branch lead 72,operating coil 73 of the relay and thence through door close contacts CLand a load weighing device contact WT to the return lead 55. Thus,whenever the doors close and the car is carrying more than a 60 percentload, as indicated by closure of the WT contacts, the LCA relay isenergized. This relay seals itself in through its own contacts 74 andlead 75 which includes normally closed contacts of the door openingrelay DO. Thus whenever the car starts or closes its doors when it ismore than 60 percent filled to capacity the landing call auxiliary relayLCA is energized and it then remains in its energized condition untilthe car stops and the doors open for the next stop. When this relay LCAis energized it also closes its contacts 76 so as to prepare a circuitfor energizing the landing call relay LC as soon as the advance motorstops and the advance motor relay closes its contacts AM.

In addition to the timing intervals provided by the timing relays TR andthe second timing relay TR1 a third timing interval is provided by athird timing relay TR2. This relay has an operating coil 77 that isenergized by a circuit that may be traced from the lead 50 through theoperating coil 77, contacts 78 of the main floor relay MG, contacts 79of the first timing relay TR and lead 80 connected to the parallelcombination of contacts DO, AM, EM, 34 and 49 and thence through lead 54to the 7 return lead 55. This third timing relay TRZ is used to providethe longer time interval at the main floor as is required by the delaywhich occurs as prospective passengers wait for the departing passengersto clear the lobby space in front of the car. The circuit is arranged sothat this relay is effective for one timing interval only independentlyof whether passengers enter or not. To accomplish this the circuit isarranged so that the first timing relay TR which is energized as a carapproaches the man tioor by means of a circuit including the normallyclosed contacts 53 of the first floor relay and the advance motorcontacts AM closes its contact 79 so as to prepare a holding circuitfrom the lead 52 through the contacts 79 to the advance motor or dooropening contacts and thence to the other side of the line. When the carreaches the first floor and the first floor relay MG is energized itcloses its contact 78 before the door opening contacts has a chance toopen or operate and thus prepares a circuit for the third timing relayTR2 by way of its contacts 73 and the now closed contacts 79 of thefirst timing relay. Thus as the car stops'both timing relays TR and TR2are energized. While passengers are departing from the car this circuitis momentarily completed as each passenger leaves by means of thephotocell relay contacts 34 which may be closed continuously orintermittently depending upon how closely the passengers follow eachother from the car. As long as the intervals are less than .9 second,the timing interval of the timing relay TR, this relay and the thirdtiming relay TR2 are both energized either intermittently orcontinuously so as to keep their contacts closed. As soon as the lastpassenger has left and assuming more than .9 second elapses before anyother passengers enter the timing relay TR times out and opens itscontact 79 and closes its contacts 5s. Since the main floor relaycontacts 53 are now open this breaks the circuit to the third timingrelay TR2 so that it begins its timing cycle and at the end ofapproximately two seconds closes its normally open contacts 81 in thecar starting circuit. It should be noted that once the first timingrelay TR is timed out in this sequence the third timing relay TRZ can nolonger be reenergized by passengers entering the car and operating thephotocell relay. Therefore the third timing relay TRZ operates once andonce only 0 each main floor stop.

During this time interval While passengers are entering the car at themain floor the second timing relay TRl is effective to enforce a delayin the car door closing circuits of its time interval of 1.3 secondsbetween or after each passenger enters. This is accomplished since themain floor relay MG has closed its contacts 70 so as to prepare thecircuit to the photocell relay contacts 34. As soon as all three timingrelays TR, TRI, and TR2 have timed out the contacts 56, 71 and 81 areclosed so as to complete the circuit for the car starting circuits.

This circuit thus provides a short time interval after a passenger hasleft the car at an intermediate floor when the car was slightly loadedso that the doors reclose almost immediately. It also provides that ifthe car is loaded over half capacity a slightly longer time interval isprovided for successive passengers to leave the car and the same longerinterval is also provided for passengers entering the car. Finally astill longer time interval is provided at the main floor to provide forthe delay that usually occurs after passengers have left the car andcleared the doorway before other passengers can enter the car. Whiletiming intervals of .9 second, 1.3 seconds and 2 seconds have beensuggested as the timing intervals for the three relays other timingintervals may be employed as conditions may indicate to be desirable forthe traffic encountered in a particular building. These timing intervalsas determined by the timing relays TR, TRL and TR2 are in addition tothe longer waiting time interval established by the TRL and TRLA relayswhich is in eiiect until a passenger enters or leaves the car. Theshorter time intervals are desired and intended to take care of thevarious expected time intervals between successive passengers leaving orentering the car.

The circuits shown in Figure iii illustrate one arrangement of timingrelays and contacts for achieving the desired operation of the elevatorsystem in response to passenger trafiic. Other combinations of contactsmay also be employed and still obtain the same result. One sucharrangement is shown in Figure 1V in which the circuit elements areidentified with the same reference characters as applied to Figure Hiexcept for the addition of a lower case a after each symbol. Only thecircuits involved in producing the shorter time intervals as determinedby the first, second or third timing relays are shown in Figure IV, itbeing assumed that the same maximum standing time relays such as TRL andTRLA and the photocell relays PC of Figure III will also be employed. Inthe circuit shown in Figure IV the first timing relay TRa and a secondtiming relay TRla have their operating coils and 86, respectively,connected in parallel and supplied from a lead 37 through branch leads88 and 89. The circuit may be traced from the operating coils through alead 90 and then through one or more of parallel connected contacts 91of the auxiliary timing relay TRLA; contacts DOa of the door openingrelay, Elvia of an emergency relay system AMa of the advance motor relayand PCa of the photocell relay. The other sides of these contacts areconnected to the return line 92. A third timing relay TR2a is alsoenergized through the same parallel connected contacts as long as themain floor relay MGa is deenergized so as to close its contacts 93. Thusall of the timing relays TRa, TRla, and TRZa are energized Whenever thecar is running or as the doors open. When the car stops at the mainfloor and energizes the MGa relay it opens its contacts 93 but the relayTRZzz having previously been energized does not immediately drop outneither does the first timing relay TRa. This first timing relay throughits contact )4 completes a by-pass circuit around the contacts 93 so asto keep the relay TR2a energized until after the first timing relay TRahas timed out.

In order to distinguish between car calls and hall calls a landing callrelay LCa is employed and is energized whenever the car stops inresponse to a landing call as is indicated by momentary closure ofcontacts Sa included in series with an operating coil 95 and advancemotor relay contacts AMa whenever the car stops for a landing call. Thisrelay seals itself in and when sealed in opens its contacts 96 which areincluded in the car starting circuit. Likewise an auxiliary landing callrelay LCAa is employed in the same way as that shown in Figure HI and isemployed to energize the landing call relay LCa whenever the car stopsfor a car call but is loaded to more than half capacity.

Since all of the timing relays are energized for each stop it isnecessary to by-pass the contacts of the relays whose timing intervalsare not desired. Thus the car starting circuit of Figure IV includes inseries contacts 97 of the timing relay TRa, contacts 98 of the secondtiming relay TRla, and contacts 99 of the third timing relay TRZa. Sincethe minimum time interval as determined by the first timing relay TRawill always be employed or exceeded there is no by-pass circuit arrangedaround the contacts 97. Also, since the longest time interval asdetermined by the third timing relay TRZa is only employed at the mainfloor its contacts 99 are by-passed by contacts 10% of the main floorrelay MGa except when the relay MGa is energized when the car is at themain floor.

Furthermore, since the intermediate time interval as determined by thesecond timer relay TRla may be employedeither for a landing call or atthe main floor its contacts 98 in the car starting circuit are by-passed9 by the series combination of the contacts 96 of the landing call relayLCa andcontacts 101 of the first floor relay MGa.

In this arrangement the car starting circuit is completed as soon as thefirst timing relay TRa times out provided that the car did not stop fora landing call and is not at the main floor. When the car stops for alanding call such that LCa is energized a car starting circuit isprepared when the first timing relay TRa times out to close its contacts97 and is completed when the second timing relay TRla times out to closeits contacts 98. Likewise, if the car is at the main floor such that therelay MGa is energized the car starting circuit is completed as soon asboth the second and third timing relay TRIM have timed out. These maytime out in either order depending upon whether or not passengers haveentered the car so as to deenergize the photocell relays after the first.9 of a second delay such as to deenergize the first timing relay TRa.If no passengers have entered, the timing relay TRla times out ahead oftiming relay TRZa. However, if passengers have entered, the subsequentreenergizaticn of TRla delays its operation and the third timing relayTR2a operates first.

This circuit as shown in Figure IV differs from the combination shown inFigure III in that all of the timing relays are operated whether theireffect is desired or not and the undesired relays have their contactsbypassed so as to be inefiective in the car starting circuit. In thecircuit of Figure HI only those timing relays are energized whose timeintervals are desired.

Figure V illustrates still another variation of contact combinations toachieve the same over-all result. As shown in this figure the dooropening relay contacts, emergency relay contacts, advance motor relaycontacts and photocell relay contacts are reversed from those shown inFigures Ill and IV in that normally closed contacts are substituted forthose normally open and normally open contacts for those normallyclosed. With this substitution the contacts must be arranged in seriesso as to give the required indication when all of them are in theprescribed operating condition. One other variation from the previouscircuits is that the timer relays TRb, TRlb and TR2b comprising thefirst, second and third timer relays are of the type that close theircontacts at the end of the time interval and as long thereafter as theyare energized. The relays used in the previously described circuit areof the type that close their contacts a predetermined time after theoperating coil has been deenergized. In this circuit the'first andsecond timing relays TRb and TR1b are energized from a supply lead 102through leads 103, 104 and 105 that include in series photocell contactsPCZJ, advance motor relay contacts AMb, door opening relay contacts DOband emergency relay contacts EMb and leads to a return lead 1&6. Thusthe timers TRb and TRlb are energized whenever conditions are favorablefor starting of the car. A third timing relay TRZb is energized from thelead 102 through contacts 107 of a first timer relay TRb, contacts 108of the main fioor relay MG!) and lead 109 connected to the return lead106. Thus the third timing relay TRZb is energized as long as the firsttiming relay TRb is timed out and the car is at the main floor asindicated by closure of the contacts MS of the main floor relay MGb. r

In order that the timer TRZb shall not be affected by subsequentoperations of the first timer T Rb as passengers enter or leave, anauxiliary relay TRZbA is provided with its operating coil connected inparallel with the coil of the timer relay TRZb and its contacts 110connected in parallel with the first timer contacts 107.

As in the previous circuit a landing call relay LCb is employed and hascontacts 111 connected in series with contacts 112 of the main floorrelay M6!) to by-pass contacts 113 of the second timer TRlb whenever thelanding call relay is not energized and the car is not at the mainfloor. Furthermore, the main floor relay MGb has contacts 114 inparallel with contacts 115 of the third timer relay TR2b so to by-passthe third timer contacts 115 as long as the car is not at the mainfloor. Thus the car starting circuit may be completed as soon ascontacts 115 of the first timing relay TRb, contacts 115 of the thirdtimer relay and contacts 113 of the second timer relay are all closed orare by-passed by contacts of the landing call relay LCb and the mainfloor relay M61).

in this arrangement the first and second timer relays TR!) and TRlb areenergized at each stop and perform their timing operations and inaddition the landing call relay determines whether or not the secondtiming relay will be effective in determining the car standing orwaiting time. The third timer relay operates somewhat difq ferently inthat its operation is started at the end of the time interval of thefirst timing relay TRb by closure of its contacts 107. Therefore, tosecure a two second time interval the third timing relay must be set forapproximately 1.1 seconds.

This circuit provides the same over-all results as do the two previouslydescribed but accomplishes the result in a slightly different manner.

The several circuits illustrated in the figures show how either normallyopen or normally closed contacts in the elevator control system may beemployed to operate the timing relays, and show how the contacts of thetiming relays may be arranged either to control operation of the timingrelays themselves or to control operation of the car starting circuitselectively when all of the timing relays are operated each time.

Other circuit arrangements may be made incorporating the various detailsto secure the same general combination or result and employing theprinciples described in connection with the above-identified circuits.

Each of the circuits provides timing intervals that adjust theoperational timing of an automatic elevator system when a number ofpassengers are entering or leaving the car at the various floors. Eachof the circuits provides an additional or longer time interval forentering passengers than it does for departing passengers and thus takescare of the usual physical arrangement in which the car doors andlanding doors are located at the car end of a relatively deep entranceway or door casing. Each further recognizes the fact that departingpassengers tend to follow one another more closely than do enteringpassengers. These circuits thus accomplish substantially the same timingas does a human attendant when operating the elevator.

Various modifications may be made in the circuits and the time intervalsset up by the various timing relays without departing from the scope ofthe invention.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. In an automatic elevator system, means for providing differing carstanding times according to differing calls for service comprising, incombination, a plurality of timing relays, a car starting circuit thatincludes contacts of said relays and that is completed when all of saidtiming relays have timed out, means responsive to certain conditions fora car for preparing a circuit to energize said timing relays preparatoryto a timing operation, a relay that is energized as the elevator carstops in response to a landing call, contact means on said relay forenergizing at least one of said timing relays, and means for energizingat least one other of the timing relays each time the car stops inresponse to a car call.

2. In an automatic elevator system, means for establishing different carstanding times according to differing calls for service comprising, incombination, a plurality of timing relays, a car starting circuit thatincludes contacts of said relays and that is completed when all of thetiming relays have timed out, means preparing a circuit to each of saidrelays as the car doors open and whenever passengers are in the doorway,a first relay that is energized when the car stops in response to alanding call and which completes the circuit for one of said timingrelays, a second relay that is energized when the car stops at aterminal floor and which completes the circuit to another of said timingrelays, and means for completing the circuit to another of said timingrelays at least when neither said first nor second relay is energized.

3. In an automatic elevator system, means for establishing difierent carstanding times according to different calls for service, comprising, incombination, a plurality of timing relays, a car starting circuit thatincludes contacts of said relays and which is completed through saidcontacts arranged in series when said relays have timed out, meanspreparing a circuit to each of said timing relays when conditionspreclude the initiation or" a door closing operation, said preparingmeans completing the circuit for at least one of said timing relays, afirst relay that is energized as the car stops in response to a landingcall, said first relay having contacts arranged to complete the circuitto a second of said timing relays, and a second relay that is energizedwhen the car stops at a terminal floor, said second relay havingcontacts arranged to complete the circuit to the second of the timingrelays and to a third of the timing relays.

4. A control circuit according to claim 3 in which the first and thirdof the timing relays are energized through a parallel combination ofcontacts of the first relay and the second relay.

5. In an automatic elevator system, means for establishing different carstanding times according to diiterent calls for service comprising, incombination, a plurality of sets of contacts arranged in parallel andadapted to close in response to conditions precluding the initiation ofa door closing operation, a first relay, means for operating said relayas the car stops in response to a landing call, means responsive to theload in the elevator car i for operating said relay when the car isloaded as it stops for a car call, a second relay that is operated whenthe car stands at a terminal floor, a plurality of timing relays, acircuit for a first of the timing relays that includes said plurality ofcontacts in series with a parallel combination of a normally closed setof contacts of the second relay and a normally open set of contacts ofthe first timing relay, a circuit for a second of the timing relays thatincludes said plurality of contacts in series with a parallelcombination of normally open sets of contacts of the first and secondrelays, and a circuit for a third of the timing relays that includes aset of normally open contacts of the second relay and which circuit isconnected in parallel with the first timing relay, and a start circuitfor the elevator that includes normally closed contacts of said timingrelays arranged in series.

6. in an automatic elevator system, means for establishing different carstanding times according to diiierent calls for service comprising, incombination, a plurality of timing relays, means preparing a circuit tothe timing relays when operating conditions preclude a safe door closingoperation and when the car is in motion or the doors are opening, arelay that is operated as the car stands at a terminal floor, a circuitto a first of the timing relays that includes in series normally openand normally closed sets of contacts of said relay and said circuitpreparing means, a circuit to a second of the timing relays thatincludes the circuit preparing means and the normally closed contacts ofsaid relay, a set of normally open contacts of said second timing relayconnected in parallel with said normally closed contacts of the relay,and contacts on each of the timing relays for interrupting a carstarting circuit until the timing relay has timed out.

7. in an automatic elevator system, means for establishing difierent carstanding times according to different calls for service comprising, incombination, a plurality of flu); decay timing relays, means preparing acircuit for energizing the timing relays when the car is motion,stopping at a floor or there are passengers in the doorway,

12 a first relay that is operated when the car stops in response to alanding call, a second relay that is operated when the car is at aterminal floor, a set of normally closed contacts on the second relayarranged to connect a first of the timing relays to said circuitpreparing means, a circuit including a set of normally open contacts ofthe second relay for connecting a second of the timing relays to thecircuit of the first timing relay, said first timing relay having a setof normally open contacts connected in parallel with the set of normallyclosed contacts of the second relay, an energizing circuit for a thirdof the timing relays that includes the circuit preparation means and aparallel combination of normally open sets of contacts of the first andsecond relays, and a car starting circuit that includes normally closedcontacts of said timing relays arranged in series.

8. A control circuit according to claim 7 in which means responsive tothe load in the car are arranged to operate the first relay as the carstops for a car call.

9. In an automatic elevator system, means for establishing different carstanding times according to different calls for service comprising, incombination, a plurality of timing relays, a plurality of sets ofcontacts arranged in parallel at least one set of which is closed whenthe car is in motion, the doors are opening or passengers are in thedoorway, a first relay that is operated when the car stops in responseto a landing call, a second relay that is operated when the car standsat a terminal floor, circuit means including said pluraility of sets ofcontacts and normally closed contacts of the second relay for operatinga first of the timing relays, normally open contacts of the first timingrelay arranged in parallel with said normally closed contacts of thesecond relay, means including said normally closed contacts foroperating a second of the timing relays, means including said pluralityof sets of contacts for operating a third of the timing relays, a carstarting circuit that includes contacts of the timing relays arranged inseries, a set of contacts on the second relay arranged to render thesecond timing relay effective to open the starting circuit, and sets ofcontacts on the first and second relays arranged to render the thirdtiming relay etfective to open said starting circuit.

10. A control circuit according to claim 9 in which means responsive tothe load in the car is connected to energize the first relay as the carstops for a car call.

11. In an automatic elevator system, means for establishing difierentcar standing times according to different calls for service comprising,in combination, a plurality of timing relays, a car starting circuitthat includes contacts of each of the timing relays, a first relay thatis operated when the car stops for a landing call, a plurality of setsof interconnected contacts arranged to condition a circuit to a firstcondition when the car is running, the doors are opening, or a person isin the doorway and to a second condition when a door closing operationmay be safely initiated, circuit means including said circuitconditioning contacts for initiating a timing operaton of at least oneof said timing relays when the circuit is in the second condition, andcontact means on the first relay cooperating with the second timingrelay for rendering the second timing relay effective to open said carstarting circuit.

12. in an automatic elevator system, means for establishing differentcar standing times according to difierent calls for service comprising,in combination, a plurality of timing relays, a car starting circuitthat includes contacts of each of the timing relays, a first relay thatis operated when the car stops for a landing call, a second relay thatis operated when the car stands at a terminal, a plurality of sets ofinterconnected contacts arranged to condition a circuit to a firstcondition when the car is running, the doors are opening, or a person isin the doorway and to a second condition when a door closing operationmay be safely initiated, circuit means including said circuitconditioning contacts for initiating a timing operation of at least oneof said timing relays when the circuit is in the second condition,contact means on the first relay cooperating with the second timingrelay for rendering the second timing relay effective to open said carstarting circuit, and contact means on the second relay cooperating witha third timing relay for rendering the third timing relay effective toopen said car starting circuit.

13. An elevator control system according to claim 11 in which meansresponsive to the load in the car is arranged to operate the first relayas the car stops for a car call.

14. An elevator control system according to claim 12 in which meansresponsive to the load in the car is arranged to operate the first relayas the car stops for a car call.

15. In an automatic elevator system, means for establishing diiferentcar standing times according to different calls for service comprising,in combination, a first, second and third timing relay, a circuit forenergizing at least the first and a second of the timing relays, Whichcircuit includes sets of contacts operated to complete the circuit whenoperating conditions permit an initiation of a door closing operation, afirst relay that is energized when the car stops in response to alanding call, a car starting circuit that includes contacts of saidtiming relays arranged in series, a second relay that is operated whenthe car stands at a terminal floor, contact means on the second relayarranged to by-pass the contacts of the third timing relay when thesecond relay is not operated, and contact means of the first and secondrelay connected in series and arranged to by-pass the contacts of thesecond timing relay.

16. A circuit according to claim 15 in which the third timing relay isenergized from the power line through sets of contacts of the secondrelay and the first timing relay, and an auxiliary relay connected inparallel with the third timing relay has contacts arranged in parallelwith the contacts of the first timing relay for maintaining the circuitto the third timing relay.

17. In an automatic elevator control system, means for providingdifferent standing times for different calls for service comprising, incombination, a circuit that is prepared whenever the car is running, thedoors are opening, or a passenger is in the doorway, a plurality of fluxdecay timing relays, a second of said timing relays being energizeddirectly from said circuit, a first relay that is energized when the carstops in response to a landing call, a second relay that is energizedwhen the car stands at a terminal floor, a set of normally closedcontacts on the second relay and a set of normally open contacts on afirst of the timing relays arranged in parallel and adapted to connectthe first and a third of the timing relays to said circuit, a carstarting circuit that includes in series normally closed contacts ofeach of the timing relays, contacts of the second relay connected inparallel with the normally closed contacts of the third timing relay,and a series connection of normally closed contacts of the first andsecond relays connected in parallel with the normally closed contacts ofthe second timing relay.

No references cited UNHED STATES PATENT orrica CERTIFICATE OF'CURRECTION Patent Noo 2,835,346 May 20, 1958 Raymond A, Burgy errorappears in the-printed specification It is hereby certified that iringcorrection and that the said Letters of the above numbered patent requPatent should read as corrected below.

"time" insert interval by column 2,

line 52, for "paotice" "no" insert m one Column 1, line 25, after line22, for "preperred" read preferred read we practice column 4, line 52,after column 7, line 10, for "man" read main Signed and sealed this 16thday of December 1958*o (SEAL) Attest:

KARL HO AEJNE Attesting Officer ROBERT C. WATSON Commissioner of Patentsnmrrnn smite PATIENT @FHCE CETIHCATE OF QQRECTIQN Patent Noo 2,835,346May 20, 1958 Raymond A, Burgy It is hereby certified that error appearsin the-printed specification. of the above numbered patent requiringcorrection and that the said Letters Patent should read as correctedbelow.

Column 1, line 25, after "time" insert M interval by column 2, line 22,for 'pre erred" read w preferred line 52, for "pactice" read practicecolumn 4, line 52, after "no" insert one column '7, line 10,, for "man"read m main o 1 Signed and sealed this 16th day of December 1958o term)Attcst:

KARL WINE ROBERT c. WATSON Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

